Friday, 28 July 2017

You know I'm always hunting for the yummiest cake and cookie recipes... well I came across a beauty yesterday by @displacedhousewife and want to share it with you. I made a few tweaks to her recipe (I didn't have any bread flour so I substituted for coconut flour because I love the flavour) and I think you'll love it...

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. Line baking tray with baking paper.
2. In an electric mixer, cream the brown sugar, butter, oil and granulated sugar.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix again.
4. Add sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix until incorporated.
5. Gently fold in the roughly chopped dark chocolate pieces.
6. Roll into heaped tablespoon sized balls and place on the baking tray. Allow about 5 cm between balls.
7. Place the tray into the freezer for 10 minutes. This step will really help the cookies keep their shape and not flatten out in the oven and it really is worth the bother, believe me.
8. Put the cookies in nearer the top of the oven and cook for 11 minutes. Don't worry that they will look a bit underdone, they will be slightly crispy on the outside and gooey but cooked through on the inside.
9. Take the cookies out and let them cool down for as long as you can stand to wait before stuffing them in your face ;-)

Saturday, 22 July 2017

I usually do my blog on a Friday afternoon but I was busy yesterday doing photoshoots with Janice Issitt ... So here is a few sneaky behind the scenes pics. And the reality of photoshoots is that sometimes the photographer has to get in the most unlikely places to get the angle. Janice is actually inside a bush here, nothing for it, had to get in the bush...

And poor Nicole had to suffer bitey ants to get this pic. What a trooper!

Friday, 14 July 2017

Well, it can't really be done. That's how it seems anyway. Now the kids are off school I'm basically on holiday but I still have masses of work to do. What that means is that our kitchen table has become a 'temporary' office desk with all the tech and clutter that entails. I have to clear it off every evening before dinner and then put it all back. It's a bloody pain in the butt! Plus I'm shuttling back and forth between the studio and home because I've forgotten something tiny, like a lead or a delivery is coming or something. I just want a proper holiday where I can concentrate on just being one thing, a relaxed Mother. No such mercy for us self employed folks. Also I had to remove the most ENORMOUS spider from my studio yesterday. Who else is going to do it? No-one. So I caught it and re located it to a nearby hedge. I even have a special spider catching kit ever at the ready. It's a see through plastic cup (so I can know where the little horror is at all times) and piece of thin but stiff card. My studio is on the ground floor and seems to attract huge spiders specially to amuse/torture me... thanks universe.

On the upside I did just get a delivery of loads of new samples for the trade show I'm doing in August... lots of cushions and clothing and the cool backdrop I'll be using for display...
Check it out

That fab picture in the middle is by Janice Issitt who is coming over to see me next week and we will spend the week doing photo sessions for the catalogue...

Just a bit more work then it's the weekend!!!! And I'm going to be a relaxed Mother. It is decided!

Friday, 7 July 2017

Last week I was supposed to go to Ibiza for a photoshoot. Everything was all planned and lined up except that the clothing samples didn't arrive in time so I had to cancel at the last minute. Talk about a stressful week! Well, no point going to Ibiza for a photoshoot if there are no clothes to photograph! So I've rescheduled it for about 10 days hence. I'm actually really happy about that too because it gives me more time to make props and accessories for it. Today I made a warrior boho queen headdress thingy.

It's just a load of old stuff I've been hoarding over the years. I do that. In truth, apart from the studs on the front, which I bought for doing my jacket, every other thing is just recycled old crap...

Now that I've made that, I don't have any more ideas about what I want to make.... my mind is a creative void, but I bet something will come to me overnight ;-) That sounds a bit creepy, but you know what I mean.